Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-07-15
A RaiIway-Jo


clever-I never pretend 1t for a
moment and detest blue-Stockings-
their clothes never fit like any one
else's, and they are always SO Dictator
ial and disagrecable. No, | don't pre-
tend to be clever IN any way. I'm a
wretched manager, and whatever L
should do without links and his wife
don't like to think; but character am
a judge of-an unfailing Judge. l
never make mistakes. / can tell you
, mans profession the very moment l
look at him. No. it's not cleverness. l
don pretend it for moment 1t is a
gift-the only gift have
And you never make mistakes, Mrs.
Bob?" some one asked.
"Oh, never. Take my marriage, for
instance; actually ran away to Bob
and asked him to marry me.
Il beg your pardon, Lily" said Bob;
'you did nothing of the kind-nothing
half so business-like.
well, not in words, perhaps, dear, !"
she admitted, "but in reality. My in
stincts led me right, too; for | got the
best husband in the whole world"
Come, draw it mild, Lily" Bob ex-
postulated. redden ne little.
Mrs. Bob laughed merrily.
"Bob can't bear TO hear me praise
him." she said in an undertone to her
neighbor. But it's true, for all that.
He's the very best husband in the
world"
Then he is well matched" returned
the gentleman, gallantly-and he said
it as If he meant il, causing little Mrs.
Bob to flush up with pleasure. though
she was twenty three years old and had
nursery full CT babies at home.
Well. not many days after this con-
versation took place, Bob Sabretasche
suggested to his wife that they should
run to town for few days. Bob's will
and pleasure being Mrs. Bob's law, she
ordered her boxes to be packed, con-
mended her babies TO the care of Mrs.
Jinks, and to town they went. Town
was full-the weather was fine-town
was charming, and altogether Bob and
rs wife had what the Americans call
good time of il. so II was with regret
that they took their places in the train
for the North. notwithstanding that the
nursery full of babies awaited them at
the end of the journey, like a bright
galaxy of stars. They were really love
ly babies, all of them, with their moth
er's BIC, black, velvet-like eyes set in
their fathers handsome. regular face.
AS soon as they were off Bob settled
down to the Times, aud Mrs. Bob, after
her wont, proceeded to scrutin re her
fellow passengers. AS she sat next to
Bob, who in turn sat next to the door,
facing the engine. she was in an excel
lent position for doing so.
Besides herself and Bob there were
four persons in the carriage: at her
right hand sat an old gentleman-a
very nasty old gentleman, indeed. He
made Mrs. Bob think Of verse she
once read.
'By the side Of a murmuring stream
An elderly gentleman sat;
On the top OF his head was his wig
On the top OF his wig was his hat
1t was wig. crowned by florid and
hideous smoking-cap. He was very fat
so fat that he wobbled like a jelly
not stiff jelly, by any means. Mrs. Bob
described him at once, in her own mind,
as a London alderman, and thought
pitying,y of turtle-soup and green fat
True, she had never seen one of those
dignitaries in flesh that she knew of,
and the old gentleman was no more an
alderman than j, the writer of this
story; but then, as he was Just Mrs.
Bob's idea of one, he therefore became
an Instance of those who have greatness
thrust upon them.
Opposite to him, and to Mrs. Bot
herself, were two ladies-tall, thin,
severe-looking, not to say vine arish,
of aspect Mrs. Bob decided thier
walk in life with as little hesitation
and as much accuracy as she had de-
cided that of the gentleman: they
were school mistresses in swell way
of business, principals of an educa-
tional establishment. Oh, how she
pitied the poor girls in their charge
/ was very much in fear Mrs. Bot
thought .clutcheS '-from the bottom
of her kind and gentle heart! As a
matter of fact, they are not in the edu-
cational line at all. but ladies of title
maiden, 1t is true-and social stars of
great magnitude in their own neigh
borhood. However. as Mrs. Bob did
not know that, and probably would not
have admired them any more il she
had known it, she turned from them
to look at the remaining occupant of
the carriage. He was much more
agreeable to contemplate; his pro-
fession did not need half an eye to
discover clergyman of the establish